WB extends prohibitory order at Singur till Jan 28

KOLKATA: The West Bengal government on Saturday extended the prohibitory order under Section 144 CrPC at Singur till January 28 midnight following secret police reports that opposition Trinamool Congress and Naxalite factions may cause serious law and order problems at the site of the proposed Tata Motors small car venture.

Recently, a senior Tata Motors executive and officials of the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) were gheraoed by members of the Save Farmland Committee in Singur when they had gone there to hold talks with local villagers over the latter���s visit to Jamshedpur.

Trinamool Congress activists under the leadership of party MLA Subrata Bakshi had recently uprooted several posts erected to earmark the land acquired for the Tata Motors project. The incident occurred near Sanapara.

Police reports suggested that opposition parties along with Naxalite factions were gearing up to cause fresh law and order problems at Singur as the Tatas and state government are working on war-footing to conclude the foundation stone laying proceedings for the small car project.

In another development, West Bengal transport minister and CPIM state committee member, Subhas Chakraborty who was asked by the CPIM state leadership not to contest in the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) elections, met CPIM politburo member Jyoti Basu at the latter���s Salt Lake residence.

Mr Chakraborty, however, refused to comment on whether he would defy the party whip in contesting CAB polls. ���Whatever I have to say, I will say on Monday,��� the minister said.